This means that 2010 saw roughly 32 percent growth year-on-year. And although the fourth quarter sales fell four per cent from the previous quarter, it again increased 12.2 percent year-on-year.
Further to this, every major semiconductor product category reported double digit growth for 2010.
"The two biggest firms [UMC and TSMC] are now struggling to keep up with production due to a lack of investment in the past," Malcolm Penn at Future Horizons told techeye.net.
"At the moment, as fast as you can add the capacity, it is getting used up - so if there had been none at all then the situation would be even worse. Whereas this time last year the problem was getting any orders, the problem today is getting semiconductor product."
The SIA forecasts single digit growth for 2011, but insists that it is performing well in light of the economic downturn.
Posted by Michael Lowe
